Public Safety and Legal Counsel

Governors legal counsel serve as senior staff, overseeing legal issues with legislation, policy, executive orders, administrative actions, and executive appointments. Additionally, Governors are focused on public safety, crime, delinquency and related social and economic consequences. NGA serves the needs of governors and their policy advisors in a broad range of criminal, sentencing, corrections and justice-related policies.

Latest

Meet the team

  • Ken Hardy, Program Director
  • Lauren Dedon, Senior Legal Policy Advisor
  • Erin Daneker, Policy Analyst
  • Maria Kearl, Policy Analyst
  • Camille Lodugnon, Policy Coordinator

NGA Public Safety & Legal Counsel networks

Governors Criminal Justice Policy Advisors Network

The Governors Criminal Justice Policy Advisors (CJPAs) Network provides a forum for governors’ criminal and juvenile justice policy advisors to connect with their peers in other states, promote regional information sharing and collaboration, and learn about best practices and the latest research in the field. NGA convenes CJPAs for an annual institute and offers customized technical assistance to them as requested through research and strategic planning support.

Governors’ Legal Counsel
Network

The Governors’ Legal Counsel Network is comprised of chief legal counsel, general counsel, and legal deputies to Governors. As part of this network, counsel have the unique opportunity to share best practices and legal lessons learned with peers across the nation. NGA convenes legal counsel on regular briefing calls, hosts counsel at an annual meeting, and provides ad hoc technical assistance and research support to the network on a vast array of legal and policy issues.

Consortium Of State Public Safety Executives

The Consortium of State Public Safety Executives is a network of cabinet-level secretaries and commissioners from across the country who are responsible for oversight of their state’s public safety enterprise, including state police, fire, corrections, emergency management and/or other related agencies. Members connect with their peers to share lessons learned, receive briefings from national experts on best practices and receive ongoing technical support from NGA staff.

Resources

Cost Share Considerations for FEMA Public Assistance Grants

There are many grant programs available through federal agencies to support disaster response and recovery activities. On March 13, 2020 when President Trump declared a nationwide emergency pursuant to Sec ...
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NGA REAL ID Letter to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation

The nation’s governors want to work with Congress and DHS to enhance the REAL ID Act and we look forward finding workable, cost-effective solutions that can increase the security and ...
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Gubernatorial Considerations for Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) Implementation

Pandemics, emergencies, and other catastrophic events require governors and state and territory leaders to consider how they will continue to operate and deliver core services to the public. Spurred by ...
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Follow-Up: Coalition Letter on Fiscal Year 2020 Preparedness Grant Requirements

April 9, 2020 The Honorable Chad WolfActing SecretaryDepartment of Homeland SecurityWashington, D.C. 20528 The Honorable Pete GaynorAdministratorFederal Emergency Management Agency500 C Street S.W.Washington, D.C. 20472 Dear Acting Secretary Wolf and ...
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Early Release from Incarceration in Response to COVID-19

Correctional institutions are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreaks. As part of state and local COVID-19 response efforts, officials are taking actions to mitigate the spread of the disease and protect ...
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Coalition Letter on Fiscal Year 2020 Preparedness Grant Requirements

April 3, 2020 The Honorable Chad WolfActing SecretaryDepartment of Homeland SecurityWashington, D.C. 20528 The Honorable Pete GaynorAdministratorFederal Emergency Management Agency500 C Street S.W.Washington, D.C. 20472 Dear Acting Secretary Wolf and ...
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Letter Requesting FEMA Waive Cost-Share Requirements

April 2, 2020 President Donald J. Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear President Trump: On behalf of the nation’s governors, we write in support ...
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COVID-19 Responses in the Juvenile Justice System

As the number of COVID-19 cases increases, governors are taking action to limit the spread of this disease, including coordinating with correctional leaders to prevent and limit the spread and ...
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CARES Act & Emergency Appropriations for Coronavirus Health Response and Agency Operations: Workforce Provisions Summary and Analysis

Note: Title II of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) contains detailed provisions on the design and implementation of Unemployment Insurance (UI) and other short-term unemployment ...
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Law Enforcement and Stay-at-Home Orders

As the number of COVID-19 cases increases, governors are taking action to limit the spread of the disease, including issuing “stay-at-home” orders and other executive actions. Stay-at-home orders include enforcement ...
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Overview of State Actions on Business Closure and Personal Movement Restrictions in Response to COVID-19

As the number of COVID-19 cases increases, governors are taking action to limit the spread of this disease. Business closures, designations of “essential” businesses, and restrictions on movement (e.g., stay ...
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State Tolling of Statutes of Limitations and Interstate Extraditions During COVID-19

NGA received questions from several states about tolling of statute of limitations and interstate extraditions during the COVID-19 outbreak. The following memorandum provides information on recent state actions to address ...
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